Luke 3:16
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
Hi, did you completely memorized John 3:16, 1 John 3:16, Philippians 3:16, and 1 Timothy 3:16 ?
Can you try to associate all these verses in your mind?
No? You got to try to memorize all of them. It is easy. If you have completed, please come back here. I will wait for you. :)
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Okay. Lets recap and associate all the verses we had memorized. Here is the summary:
John 3:16 >> God love me...
1 John 3:16 >> So, I gotta love by brethen how God love me...
Philippians 3:16 >> That is why, we need to be united by walking the same rule...
1 Timothy 3:16 >> And, based on the testimonial of Jesus (the mystery of godliness), we preach the gospel to the Gentiles.
But, while we labor for Jesus, at some point of time, we feel like we deserve some "extra- points" from God. We think that we have done God a big favor. I believe there is a natural tendency for human to feel like that. To feel as if we are "extra-spiritual" because we did the job.
But let us meditate on John had said:
"...the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose..."
John, himself do not feel worthy to serve Jesus. For him, serving Jesus indeed is a honor and a privilege.
Don't we think we should pray so that we will feel likewise?
God bless
next verse: Grant You, According to the Riches of His Glory (memorize Ephesians 3:16)
Monday, September 25, 2006
3:16 (part 4) - Whose Shoes I am Not Worthy to unloose
Thursday, September 14, 2006
3:16 (part 3) - God Manifest in the Flesh
1 Timothy 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Okay, you are now able to memorize John 3:16, 1 John 3:16, and Philippians 3:16.
How about another 3:16? - 1 Timothy 3:16.
This verse is a little harder because it is slightly longer than the previous verses that we had already memorized.
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In 1 Timothy 3:16:
"And without controversy great..."
That means, with certainty and no rooms for arguments.
"is the mystery of godliness:"
In 1 Corinthians 2:7, speaks of mystery as the hidden wisdom. Barnes states that:This passage, therefore, should not be used to prove that there is anything unintelligible, or anything that surpasses human comprehension, in that doctrine, whatever may be the truth on that point; but that the doctrine which he now proceeds to state, and which had been so long concealed from mankind, was of the utmost consequence.
"God was manifest in the flesh,..."
Jesus Christ is God came to this earth in human form.
"justified in the Spirit,..."
The Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also plays an very important role in the whole plan of redemption.
"seen of angels,..."
The millions of angels in heaven are the witnesses of God's greatest sacrifice for us.
"preached unto the Gentiles,..."
Salvation is both to the Jews and Gentiles. And the Gospel are to preach to every nations and tongues and people.
"believed on in the world,..."
People of the world believe in Him..
"received up into glory."
Jesus be glorified!
Fuh! This is a difficult text.
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Can you associate 1 Timothy 3:16 with the previous the '3:16' text that we had already memorized?
next: Whose Shoes I am Not Worthy to unloose (memorize Luke 3:16)
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
3:16 (part 2) - Walk by the Same Rule
Philippians 3:16
Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
You are now able to memorize:
John 3:16 > Jesus laying His life for us
1 John 3:16 >We ought, like wise, laying our life for our brethen
We can associate Philippians 3:16 (same chapter, same verse) with:
1)John 3:16 - It is by believing in Jesus, we are united in Him. Hence, in Phlilppians 3:16, Paul admonished us to walk the same rule and mind the same thing
2)1 John 3:16 - Walking the same rule and minding the same thing is a sense of unity; in which we love our brethen's life as we love ours'.
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Let us memorize Philippians 3:16:
"Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained,..."
By referring to the previous verse(that is verse 9), those "already attained" means those having the righteousness of Jesus.
so, after attaining the righteousness of Jesus Christ, what should we do?
"let us walk by the same rule,..."
and?
"let us mind the same thing."
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Did we walk the same rule and minding the same thing as prescribed in the Bible?
next: God Manifest in the Flesh(memorize 1 Timothy 3:16)
Monday, September 11, 2006
3:16 (part 1) - Following God's example
1 John 3:16
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
I am sure you are already well verse with John 3:16.
Now, let us memorize 1 John 3 :16.
Compared to John 3:16, this verse is by written the same author, John, same chapter, and the same verse.
So you can associate both texts which will aid your memory.
John 3:16 tells us what God have done for us > by laying His life for us.
1 John 3:16 tells us what should we do > by also laying our life for others.
The break down of the verse:
Hereby perceive we the love of God, (that means now we see God's love)
how?
because he laid down his life for us:
so, what should we do?
and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
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To lay down our lives for the brethen? You may perceive this text to be too radical. Surely, it is very normal for our carnal flesh to be not in harmony with the Holiness of our loving Father.
But, let us consider what the Jesus have done for us. He gave it all.
He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
Albert Barnes (1798-1870) put it this way:
"We ought to have such love for Christians as to be willing to jeopard our lives to aid them - as in case of a pestilence or plague, or when they are in danger by fire, or flood, or foes."
"We ought to have such love for the truth as to be willing to sacrifice our lives rather than deny it."
"We ought to have such love for the cause of our Master as to be willing to cross oceans, and snows, and sands; to visit distant and barbarous regions, though at imminent risk of our lives, and though with the prospect that we shall never see our country again."
next: Walk by the Same Rule (memorize Philippians 3:16)
The Greatest Promise
John 3:16 A typical interpretation of the verse might go as follows: The day is over, you are driving home. You tune in your radio. You hear a little blurb about a little village in India where some villagers have died suddenly, strangely, of a flu that has never been seen before. It’s not influenza, but three or four fellows are dead, and it’s kind of interesting. They’re sending some doctors over there to investigate it. You don’t think much about it, but on Sunday, coming home from church, you hear another radio spot. Only they say it’s not three villagers, it’s 30,000 villagers in the back hills of this particular area of India, and it’s on TV that night. CNN runs a little blurb; people are heading there from the disease center in Atlanta because this disease strain has never been seen before. By Monday morning when you get up, it’s the lead story. For it’s not just India; it’s Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and before you know it, you’re hearing this story everywhere and they have coined it now as “the mystery flu.” The President has made some comment that he and everyone are praying and hoping that all will go well over there. But everyone is wondering, “How are we going to contain it?” That’s when the President of France makes an announcement that shocks Europe. He is closing their borders. No flights from India, Pakistan, or any of the countries where this thing has been seen. That night you are watching a little bit of CNN before going to bed. Your jaw hits your chest, when a weeping woman is translated from a French news program into English: “There’s a man lying in a hospital in Paris dying of the mystery flu. It has come to Europe.” Panic strikes. As best they can tell, once you get it, you have it for a week and you don’t know it. Then you have four days of unbelievable symptoms. Then you die. Britain closes it’s borders, but it’s too late. Southampton, Liverpool, Northhampton, and it’s Tuesday morning when the President of the United States makes the following announcement: “Due to a national security risk, all flights to and from Europe and Asia have been canceled. If your loved ones are overseas, I’m sorry. They cannot come back until we find a cure for this thing. Within four days our nation has been plunged into an unbelievable fear. People are selling little masks for your face. Some are talking about what if it comes to this country, and preachers on Tuesday are saying, “It’s the scourge of God.” It’s Wednesday night and you are at a church prayer meeting when somebody runs in from the parking lot and says, “Turn on a radio, turn on a radio.” While the church listens to a little transistor radio with a microphone stuck up to it, the announcement is made, “Two women are lying in a Long Island hospital dying from the mystery flu.” Within hours it seems, this thing just sweeps across the country. People are working around the clock trying to find an antidote. Nothing is working. California, Oregon, Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts. It’s as though it’s just sweeping in from the borders. Then, all of a sudden the news comes out. The code has been broken. A cure can be found. A vaccine can be made. It’s going to take the blood of somebody who hasn’t been infected, and so, sure enough, all through the Midwest, through all those channels of emergency broadcasting, everyone is asked to do one simple thing: “Go to your downtown hospital and have your blood type taken. That’s all we ask of you. When you hear the sirens go off in your neighborhood, please make your way quickly, quietly, and safely to the hospitals.” Sure enough, when you and your family get down there late on that Friday night, there is a long line, and they’ve got nurses and doctors coming out and pricking fingers and taking blood and putting labels on it. Your spouse and your kids are out there, and they take your blood type and they say, “Wait here in the parking lot and if we call your name, you can be dismissed and go home.” You stand around scared with your neighbors, wondering what in the world is going on, and that this is the end of the world. Suddenly a young man comes running out of the hospital screaming. He’s yelling a name and waving a clipboard. What? He yells it again! And your son tugs on your jacket and says with a grin, “Daddy, that’s me.” Before you know it, they have grabbed your boy. “Wait a minute, hold it!” And they say, “It’s okay, his blood is clean. His blood is pure. We want to make sure he doesn’t have the disease. We think he has got the right type.” Five tense minutes later, out come the doctors and nurses, crying and hugging one another - some are even laughing. It’s the first time you have seen anybody laugh in a week, and an old doctor walks up to you and says, “Thank you, sir. Your son’s blood type is perfect. It’s clean, it is pure, and we can make the vaccine.” As the word begins to spread all across that parking lot full of folks, people are screaming and praying and laughing and crying. But then the gray-haired doctor pulls you and your wife aside and says, “May we see you for a moment? We didn’t realize that the donor would be a minor and we need . . . we need you to sign a consent form.” You begin to sign and then you see that the number of pints of blood to be taken is empty. “H-h-h-how many pints?,” you ask. And that is when the old doctor’s smile fades and he says, “We had no idea it would be a little child. We weren’t prepared. We need it all!” “But -but...” “You don’t understand. We are talking about the world here. Please sign. We - we need it all -we need it all!” “But can’t you give him a transfusion?” “If we had clean blood we would. Can you sign? Would you sign?” In numb silence you do. Then they say, “Would you like to have a moment with your son?” You go into that room where he sits on a table saying, “Daddy? Mommy? What’s going on?” Can you take his hands and say, “Son, we love you, and we would never ever let anything happen to you that didn’t just have to be. Do you understand that?” When that old doctor comes back in and says, “I’m sorry, we’ve -we’ve got to get started. People all over the world are dying.” Can you leave? Can you walk out while he is saying, “Dad? Mom? Why - why have you forsaken me?” And then next week, when they have the ceremony to honor your son, some folks sleep through it, and some folks don’t even come because they go to the lake, and some folks come with a pretentious attitude. “MY SON DIED! DON’T YOU CARE?” Is that what God may be saying? “MY SON DIED. DON’T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE?” “Father, seeing it from your eyes breaks our hearts. Maybe now we can begin to comprehend the great love you have for us. Amen “
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
I am sure, many of you are familar with this verse. This is the most common, most remembered, widely quoted verse. Perhaps you want to skip this verse and memorize the next verse.
But for start, for those who haven't memorize this text, please learn this words by heart.
It is easy to remember:
"For God so loved the world...."
to what extend His love for us?
"...that he gave his only begotten Son..."
so, what is the big deal?
"...that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,"
and your reward is
"...but have everlasting life. "
try that :)
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from wikipedia :
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The parable
My Son Died, Don’t You Care
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next: Following God's example (memorize 1 John 3:16)